Western Bulldogs skipper Brad Johnson can hardly wait to play alongside Barry Hall. The only problem is he doesn't know when that will be.
The Bulldogs' longest-serving player in history - who was due to play his 350th game in the opening round against Collingwood - missed the Dogs' historic NAB Cup grand final victory over St Kilda (the club's first trophy in 40 years) due to Achilles soreness stemming from a calf injury.
Johnson could only watch on as boom recruit Hall continued his devastating pre-season form with seven goals - to win the Michael Tuck Medal for best afield - giving him 17 goals in three games since the Dogs resurrected the career of the former Sydney bad boy.
It was a cruel blow for the 33-year-old, who debuted for the Dogs in 1994, but it has only served to further whet his appetite for the home-and-away season.
"It was certainly exciting without a doubt and I was very proud of the way the boys handled themselves," Johnson said of the NAB Cup win.
"They were certainly excited afterwards but we know we have got a lot of hard work in front of us."
Johnson, the Dogs' leading goalkicker in four of the past five seasons despite standing just 182cm, believes Hall will give the Dogs the big powerful presence in attack they have long lacked and will certainly make his own job easier as the popular skipper saddles up for his 17th season.
"I am excited about getting out there and having a run around with him," Johnson said of Hall.
"I am sure we will work things out and keep out of each other's way."
Johnson, however, is not sure when he will return and he could even miss the first three matches.
"I can't put a round on it (when he will return) but it will be definitely early season," he said.
"I haven't done any sort of training but hopefully I will get through this week no worries and then I will start to build next week."
"I have been able to get through my running over the last week but now I have got to build on my full training with the group, which I haven't been able to do for a couple of weeks so I will get into that and then we will go from there."
Johnson also backed Hall to not only maintain his pre-season form into the season proper but also keep his discipline, which has been exemplary with the Dogs but deteriorated badly during his final years in Sydney.
"He is the sort of guy that once he gets into form, he holds it, and he has shown that when he played at the Swans because he was very good over a number of years once he got up and going so hopefully he will continue to do that for us," Johnson said.